School board incumbents file for 2018 election 

 

COLUMBUS — Three Polk County School Board incumbents have added their names to the list of those who have filed for the 2018 election.  

Filing began Feb. 12, and will end at noon on Feb. 28.  

Incumbent Columbus Polk County School Board member Geoffrey Tennant filed last week, along with incumbent Green Creek Township member Sherry Page and incumbent Coopers Gap Township member Judy Jackson. Newcomer Michael Ashworth filed for the Tryon Township. Current Tryon Township member Jim Patterson has not filed.  

Others who have filed for this year’s election include incumbent Polk County Commissioners Ray Gasperson (D) and Tommy Melton (R), along with newcomer Carolyn Ashburn (D). There are three seats open for the Polk County Board of Commissioners.  

Candidates who have filed for Polk County Sheriff include B.J. Bayne (D), Ronnie Smith (D) and Darryl Bailey (R).  

Also filing locally is incumbent Polk Count Clerk of Court Pam Hyder (D).  

County candidates can file at the Polk County Board of Elections Office, located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  

There are three open seats on the Polk County Board of Commissioners this year, including the current seats of Shane Bradley, Gasperson and Melton.  

The seat of Polk County Sheriff Donald Hill (D) is up for re-election, as well as the seat of clerk of court, held by Hyder.  

There are four Polk County Board of Education seats open this year, including one for the Columbus Township, one for Coopers Gap Township, one for Green Creek Township and one for Tryon Township. Board of education members run unaffiliated.  

Other seats up for re-election this year include the District Attorney for District 42 (formerly 29B), which includes Polk, Henderson and Transylvania counties. The current district attorney is Greg Newman (R), who has filed, along with Mary Ann Jacboson Hollocker (R).  

Other seats on the ballot this year include U.S. House of Representatives District 10, with David Wilson Brown (D), Gina Rockey Gollias (R) and incumbent Patrick Timothy McHenry (R) filing; N.C. Senate District 47, with Cheryl Darlene Swofford (D) and incumbent Ralph Edward Hise Jr. (R) filing and North Carolina House of Representatives District 113, with incumbent Cody Hayden Henson (R) filing so far.  

Soil and water conservation supervisor will also have two seats available this year, but candidates do not file for those seats until June.  

The primary election is scheduled for May 8. Early voting for the primary will begin on April 19 and end on May 5.  

The general election will be on Tuesday, Nov. 6, with early voting from Oct. 18-Nov. 3.  

For more information about the upcoming election, call the Polk County Board of Elections Office at 828-894-8181 or visit polknc.org.